Playing card shuffling device



H. E. MCCOY PLAYING CARD SHUFFLING DEVICE Filed Aug. 14, 1935 Patented Oct. 5, 1937 Y UNITED 'stares maar orties 2,094,803 PLAYING CARDl SHUFFLING DEVICE Harry E. McCoy, Los Angeles, Calif., assigner, by mesne assignments, to Jeannette Northrup, Los Angeles, Calif.

Application August 14, 1935, Serial No. 36,074 13 Claims. (Cl. 273-449) My inventionrelates to a playing card shuffling Fig. 9 is a cross section taken on the line 9-9 device and has for its principal object, the proof Fig. 8.

vision of a relatively simple, practical and n- Fig. 10 is a plan view of the end of the card expensive device that may be conveniently emsupporting and shuflling member and of the type 5 ployed for the comparativelyV rapid and elective having a single projecting member. 5 shufling of playing cards. Fig. 11 is a vertical section taken through the A further object of my invention is, to provide center of the card supporting and shuiliing mema card shuffling device having relatively few opber and showing the same in card supporting erating parts, thus minimizing the possibility of position. l0 failure of the device to function properly after Referring by numerals to the accompanying' 10 having been set and released. drawing which illustrates a preferred embodiment A further object of my invention is, to provide of my invention, IIJ designates a substantially a card shuiiiing device having a rotating member rectangular cover vor housing that encloses the that serves as a support for the unshuiiled pack operating parts of the device and which cover 15 of cards when said pack is inserted in the device may be formed of sheet metal, Celluloid or the like 15 and said member being constructed so that when and designed and suitably decorated so as to it moves away or out of card supporting position, present a neat and finished appearance. it separates the pack of cards into two or more Formed in the lower portion of the front Wall parts and then releases the cards one at a time of the housing, is an opening II, through which 2o from each of the separated parts, thereby eiiectthe pack 'of cards may be conveniently withdrawn 2o ing'a very thorough and complete shufliing of after having been shuffled. f the cards. `Housing I@ is removably positioned on a base A further object of my invention is, to provide I2 and secured to said base and enclosed by said simple and efiicient means whereby the speed housing is the magazine that receives and holds of the device in accomplishing the card shuilling the pack of cards to be shuffled. This magazine 25 operation, may be very accurately regulated and comprises a -rear wall I3, a iront wall I4 and end controlled. walls I5.

With the foregoing and other objects in View The chamber I6 within the upper portion of this my invention consists in certain novel features of magazine is adapted to receive the pack of cards construction and arrangements of parts that will to be shuflied and the chamber I'I in the lower 30 be hereinafter more fully described and claimed portion constitutes a pocket that receives the and illustrated in the accompanying drawing in shuiiled cards. which: The lower portions of the front and rear walls Fig. 1 is a front elevational View of a card of the magazine are disposed so that the pocket Shufing device constructed in accordance with I1 is substantially V-shape in cross section in 35 my invention. v order that the pack of shuffled cards when posi- Fig. 2 is a front elevational view of the card tioned in said pocket, will occupy an inclined pomagazine and shuiliing means removed from the sition as illustrated by dotted lines in Fig. 5, with' case or housing. the upper end of the pack positioned in the open- 40 Fig. 3 is an enlarged vertical section taken on ing II in the front wall of the housing. 40 the line 3-3 of Fig. 1. An opening I8 is formed in the lower portion Fig. 4 is a vertical section taken approximately of the front wall III of the magazine in order to on the line 4-4 of Fig. 3, with the magazine repermit the convenient engagement of the upper moved from its case or housing. portion of the pack of shuffled cards between the Fig. 5 is an enlarged vertical section taken on thumb and fingers when the shuffled pack is re- 45 the line E--E of Fig. 1. moved from the device.

Fig. 6 is an enlarged vertical section taken on A portion 2t of the rear wall I3 of the magathe line @-6 of Fig. 2. zine is extended forwardly in order to provide a Fig. 7 is a plan view of the card supporting and deector that causes the cards to be directed forshuffling member and showing aportion of apack wardly as they drop in succession into the 50 of cards supported thereon. pocket I1.

Fig. 8 is an enlarged plan view of the end of The upper ends of the surrounding rear and the Card Supporting and shuffling member and end walls of the magazine are bent or curved showing the same provided with two projecting slightly outward as designated by 2l, in order to 5 members. facilitate the insertion oi the pack of cards into 55 upper portion ofV the small knob or disc 25.

Mounted on shaft 24 between the bearings 23, is a combined card supporting and shuiling member which in the presentinstance, consists of an arcuate plate 21 or a body having a curved peripheral surface that is with the axis of shaft 24. ,Y .Y

The forward portion of this cardsupporting and shuffling member is slotted as designated by 28 to `formA 'two or more forwardly projecting vmembers 2&9 and which latter preferably tape'r'inV width toward their Vforward ends. 1

VFormed on theside Vedges of plate or body 21, are marginal ribs 30 that are preferably of in- Verted V-shape in cross section and these ribs are extended along the side edges of the tapered prejections 29, as Ydesignated by 3|.

In some instances it may be foundY desirable to eliminate the ribsr3| on the sides of the projections 29 and if desired one of the projections may be made slightly longer than the other so as toY eiTect a more thorough shuling of the cards. Y

InV Fig. 7I have shown the porting and shuffling member rear portions of its side'edges with substantially inverted v-shapedribs V32, verge as they approach the combined card supforward slotted portion yof said 'member and formed on the curved Formed on the forward portion of the surface ofV member 21 to the sides of the forward end of rib 33, are short ribs 35, thetforw'ardzends of which terminate drop olf the edges formed by the slotting of the Vforward end of member 21.Y f

The Yprojections 36 are preferablyV tapered to'- ward their forward ends and as avresult ofthe construction just'rdescribed, the cards will'drop memberV at eight diiferent points or from lboth edges of each projecting member 35. members 36 may be provided with small upwardly projecting ribs 31 that are substantially of inverted V-shape in cross section.

In Fig. 10 I have illustrated the forward portion of the card supporting and shuiilng mem-V preferably concentricV Y 1 Thefoperatio 21' provided on the which gradually di- If desired the Vside edges of theV l pocket l1.

more playing cards. Y

Pivotally connected in any suitable manner to the rear portion of member 21, is' the upper end of a depending rod 4 I, the lower portion of which carries a'piston 42 that is arranged for operation within a cylinder 43. Y

Formed in the Ybottom of cylinder 43, is a vent 44 and the flow of air through this Vent is controlled by screw 45 that is seated in the bottom of the cylinder.

Projecting laterally from the intermediate portion of rod 4|, is anarm 50 to which is connected the upperend of a retractile spring 5| and the lower end of this spring is connected to base I2. Yofthe card shuiing device is as follows: j

Before placing the pack ofcards to be shuffled disc or knob 25 is engaged and 24 is rotated clockwise, thereby moving the Ycard supporting and shuiliing member 21 through opening 22 into the lower portion of chamber I5. Such action moves piston 42 upward within its 'cylinder 43 and expands spring 5|, thereby reit will move a slight distance beyond the vertical plane occupied by the axis of shaft 24 Vand when such action occurs, the member 21V will be re` strained against rearward movement as aA result 0f the pull exerted by'spring 5|. Y v The pack of cards to be shuled is now inserted into chamber |E with one of the lower corners ofV said pack resting on the periphery of member-21'.

Knob or disc 25 isY now engaged and rotated a slight distance anticlockwise to bring the'point of pivotal connectionY between rod 4| and member 21 past center, whereupon knob 25 is now releasedand spring 5| will now act to draw'rod 4| downward and which movement imparts rotary movement to the card supportingmember A21.V Y The flow-of air from 43 below the piston 42 the chamberin cylinder therein through vent 44, controls the speed of downward movement of said piston and the rod 4| and this speed control mayY be very accurately regulated by' adjusting screw 45V so as to increase or decrease the size of the vent.

. As member 2,1 normal position; member will Vride is slowly rotated back to its the cards supported by said overV the ,periphery of said said cards will engage and VVride over the ribs on the edges of the tapered projections Von the forward end of said member and said cards will discharge or drop oif the inclined side edges of said'members at two'or more differentV points and which action is in shuflling the pack of cards.

As the cards drop from the projections on the very eifective coV forward, end of theV supporting Vand shuffling Y member they will pass. |1 and in strikingragainst the inclinedportion 2&3 of rear wall I3, said cards will be deflected forwardly and pile oneron top of the otherv inthe Among the-especially advantageous features of my invention are, the card supporting and shufdownwardly into pocket the card supporting and shufliing member and which speed regulating means may be very accurately controlled.

Thus it will be seen that I have provided a card shuffling device that is relatively simple in construction, inexpensive of manufacture and very effective in performing the functions for which it is intended.

It will be understood that various changes in the size, form and construction of the different parts of the playing card shuffling device herein set forth may be made and substituted for those herein shown and described without departing from the spirit of my invention, the scope of which y is set forth in the appended claims.

I claim as my invention:

l. In a card shuifling device, a card-receiving magazine, a member mounted for rotation on the side of said magazine and adapted when rotated to move into or out of said magazine, and that portion of said rotatable member that enters the magazine having a longitudinally curved periph eral card-supporting surface. i

2. In a card shuffling device, a card-receiving magazine, a member mounted for rotation on the side of said magazine and adapted when rotated to move into or out of said magazine, that portion of said rotatable member that enters the magazine having a longitudinally curved peripheral card-supporting surface and automatically operating means connected to said rotary member for imparting rotary movement thereto, so as to withdraw said member from the magazine and release the supported cards.

3. In a card shuffling device, a card-receiving magazine, a member mounted for rotation on the side of said magazine and adapted when rotated to move into or out of said magazine, that portion of Said rotatable member that enters the magazine having a longitudinally curved peripheral cardsupporting surface, automatically operating means connected to said rotary member for imparting rotary movement thereto, so as to withdraw said member from the magazine and release the supported cards and means for regulating the speed of rotation imparted to said rotary member.

4. In a card shuffling device, a card-receiving magazine, a member mounted for rotation on the side of said magazine and adapted when rotated to move into or out of said magazine, that portion of said rotatable member that enters the magazine having a longitudinally curved card-supporting surface, automatically operating means connected to said rotary member for imparting rotary movement thereto, so as to withdraw said member from the magazine and release the supported cards and manually operable means for rotating said member so as to move the portion having the curved card-supporting surface thereof into the magazine.

5. In a card shuffling device, a card-receiving magazine, a member mounted 'for rotation on the side of said magazine and adapted when rotated to move into or out of said magazine, that portion of said rotatable member that enters the magazine having a longitudinally curved cardsupporting surface and longitudinally curved fingers projecting from the end of said curved peripheral card-supporting surface.

6. In a card shuffling device, a card-receiving magazine, a member mounted for rotation on the side 'of said magazine and adapted when rotated to move into or out o-f said magazine, that portion of said rotatable member that enters the magazine having a longitudinally curved cardsupporting surface, longitudinally curved fingers projecting from the end of said curved cardsupporting surface and upstanding ribs on the edges of said fingers.

7. In a card shuffling device, a magazine, a member mounted for rotation on the side of said magazine and adapted when rotated to move into or out of said magazine, that portion of said rotatable member that enters the magazine having a longitudinally curved card-supporting surface and means on the end of the curved cardsupporting surface for permitting separate cards from the supported pack to drop by gravity from different points in said pack until all of the supported cards have been released.

card receiving magazine, an arcuate member mounted for rotation on the side of the magazine and adapted, when rotated, to move into or out of said magazine, the longitudinally curved circumferential face of said arcuate member, providing a support for a deck of cards in said magazine, automatically operating means for actuating said supporting means to withdraw the same from the magazine, means for controlling the speed of operation of said card supporting actuating means and manually operable means for rotating said arcuate member so as to move the same into said magazine.

9. In a card shuiing device, the combination with means for holding a pack of cards, of rotary means mounted for rotation on the side of said card holding means and having a longitudinally curved slotted peripheral card supporting surface for permitting separate cards to drop by gravity from different points of the supported pack until all of the cards have been released from the card holding means, and automatically actuating means for timing the withdrawal movement of said rotary means.

l0. In a card shuffling device, a magazine for the reception of a pack of cards to be shuffled, a rotary member mounted for rotation on the side of said magazine so as to move into and out of said magazine and supporting the pack of cards when moved into said magazine, and that portion of the periphery of said rotary member that projects into the magazine being curved lengthwise and provided with a pair of ppositely inclined side edges.

l1. In a card shuiiiing device, a magazine, a curved rotary member mounted for rotation on the side of said magazine and adapted when rotated to move into and out of the lower portion of said magazine, said member having a curved circumferential surface which when moved into the magazine is adapted to support a pack of cards, that end of the member that enters the magazine being provided with edges that are inclined with respect to the arcuate line of travel of said member as it is withdrawn from said magazine, and automatically operating means for withdrawing said rotary member from said magazine.

l2. In a card shuffling device, a housing provided in its upper portion with a magazine adapted to receive a pack of cards and in its lower portion with a pocket, a rotary member mounted for operation on said housing andrhaving a curved card supporting surface that is adapted to move into and out of the lower portion of said magazine as said member is rotated, the curved end of said member that enters said magazine being provided with inclined side edges, means for moving said member into said magazine, and means for withdrawing said member from said magazine. Y

13. In a card shuing device, a magazine, a curved member mounted for rotation on the side of the magazine and adapted whenv rotated to move into and out of said magazine, which curved member is provided with a longitudinally curved peripheral surface adapted to support cards when moved into said magazine, and means on the curved peripheral surface of said member for dividing theV supported cards into a plurality of groups each comprising a plurality of cards and then permitting the cards to drop one at a time Afrom each group as said card supporting mem- 10 ber is rotated and Withdrawn from the magazine.

HARRY E. MCCOY. 

